About Carla Denham

Chief Visionary & Brand Strategist

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BRAND ETHOS

After decades of brand strategy, marketing, and storytelling for large and small companies, products, services and people across the country, I have discovered the one critical ingredient that changes everything. I call it Brand Ethos.

Ethos is that missing element of true authenticity – that connection to who we are and what we really stand for, why we matter, and why our voice should be heard.  Brand Ethos represents an opportunity to be part of something good, something bigger than ourselves, something more than just what we do or what we buy.

Powerful brand storytelling makes sure there’s a strong connection between what we believe in and what we do best. We define what we stand for in order to stand out. The more authentic we appear, the more trusted we are. The more trusted we are, the more people want to become part of our story.

When brands discover the secret of connecting with people through authenticity, consistency and differentiation that makes a difference in the world, they create a passionate community who not only feels safe in associating with them, but can’t wait to bring others into the trusted fold.

Purpose-driven brand culture doesn’t happen overnight – it is authentic, strategic and intentional. It involves a process of thought-provoking questions and insights, insanely clear strategy, emotional storytelling, passionate and open conversations, collaborative partnerships and dynamic experiential engagement to build a brand story. It starts inside, permeates and excites every employee, and then it is amplified out through every potential touchpoint, voice, platform, and stakeholder.

The result is an unmatched internal culture where people are passionate about their work, and a community of die-hard brand advocates – even evangelists – who unquestionably believe in a greater mission and want to be a part of the story.

ABOUT CARLA

Carla Denham’s passion and skill as a Master Brand Storyteller, Campaign Producer and Marketing Strategist have been perfected through countless brand strategies and comprehensive plans. She has worked with agencies, corporations, ministries, authors/thought leaders and non-profit organizations of all sizes, missions and resources. For organizations and thought leaders wanting to stand out in an increasingly cluttered market, it all starts with a good story – define it, share it, and grow your business exponentially.

My mission is to create stories and conversations
that people want to be a part of.

Carla’s a “think big” creative with a solid mind for research, creative strategies, cause marketing, partnerships, publishing and new revenue stream development. Since launching InsideOut Marketing & Consulting, she has developed branding strategies, cause marketing partnerships and marketing campaigns for non-profit ministries, Christian publishers, and organizations in multiple industries. She also serves in an advisory role with businesses to develop comprehensive multi-year branding and image campaigns, marketing strategies, thought leadership platforms, growth and diversification initiatives, and internal and external communications programs.

As Chief Strategy & Communications Officer for the legacy non-profit Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN, Carla led a major rebrand initiative for the foundation and its three divisions: The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association and Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens. She also championed the 37th Annual Main Street Festival in 2021 generating record-breaking attendance of 123,000 visitors.

As Vice President at The A Group, Carla grew a start-up marketing division to world-class standards delivering global campaigns for non-profit ministries and faith-based organizations such as Student Leadership Organization, Metro World Child, Feed the Children, and TWR.

As Group Vice President of Marketing for Bibles, Reference and Curriculum at Thomas Nelson Publishers, Carla brought a new wave of creative thinking to product development and “go to market” execution with a focus on meeting the needs of the consumer. Working with such authors as Max Lucado, Charles Stanley, and David Barton, Carla’s brand marketing campaigns supported hundreds of new product releases and created new ways to approach brand story delivery.

An entrepreneur in spirit, Carla owned and operated Ballerini Marketing in East Tennessee for 18 years where she created award-winning brand and consumer strategies for companies including Philips Electronics, Cooper Industries, AIM Media, School 2000, Ski Beech, Y-12 Federal Credit Union, and Shoney’s Restaurants. She has received numerous Addy Awards for national creative campaigns and has been noted for her successful strategies that bring consumer products and technologies into new and emerging markets.

Carla spearheaded the North American consumer introduction of Philips Compact Disc Interactive (CD-i), a new form of interactive home entertainment, serving as senior vice president of The Rowland Company, one of the world’s largest marketing communications agencies and a division of Saatchi & Saatchi Company. She also founded and served as senior vice president and general manager of the San Francisco office of The Rowland Company, and co-founded Los Angles-based Smith Marketing Communications, one of the fastest-growing independent marketing firms on the West Coast.

She has developed and implemented award-winning brand and marketing campaigns for such companies as Worlds of Wonder, Atari Corp., Mercedes-Benz, Kaufman and Broad Builders, Gymboree, Capri Sun, General Mills Restaurant Group, Swensen’s Ice Cream Company, Honey Hills Farms Yogurt and Sparkletts Drinking Water.

MILESTONES / ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Redefined Downtown Franklin Association division of non-profit to triple annual revenues and hosted Main Street Festival with record-breaking 123,000 attendance.
  • Executed award-winning global 400-year anniversary campaign for the King James Bible with strategic partnerships, product development, advertising and publicity, a 400-day digital campaign and website, historic Bible exhibit, and retail merchandising and promotions.
  • Developed and executed market entry strategy for Philips into the education market.
  • Co-founded PR/marketing agency named as “one of the fastest-growing independent agencies on the west coast”.
  • Led major rebrand for 54-year old legacy foundation and three operating divisions.
  • Developed international cause-marketing partnership with World Vision that built retail product sales for Thomas Nelson Publishing and generated millions of dollars for global child relief efforts.
  • Developed and managed global brand voice for Christian leaders including Max Lucado, Dr. Meg Meeker and Jennie Allen.
  • Launched Philips brand for high-end consumer electronics directing North American rollout.